Psychological Problems in Older Adults (Part 2)

Sexual dysfunctionOne of our many needs and desires is having sex. This primal necessity is in response to the natural selection for us to thrive as species. But once we grow old, we lose this desire in what is known as sexual dysfunction.Sexual dysfunction is called by many names including sexual malfunction and sexual disorder. This disorder is characterized by a person’s difficulty in any period of normal sexual activity. This includes the absence of:

Arousal

Desire

Orgasm

Physical pleasure or

PreferenceIt is just normal for the elderly to experience this decline in sexual activity and their lack of interest thereof. Aside from that, the older adults also have problem in having a good night’s sleep.

HypochondriasisEver had an experience wherein you got a slight discomfort in your body and you began thinking for the worst?What if this is cancer? What if this is the early sign of stroke? Is this diabetes acting up in my system?And because you were nervous and so concerned about it, you went to the doctor’s only to find out that it was nothing.Out of all the older adults, 10 to 15 percent have this condition wherein they continually believe that they have a medical disorder even though there are no medical findings. This condition is called hypochondriasis.

Alcohol abuse and substance dependenceThere is pervasiveness of alcohol abuse by the older population. Out of those who are aged 65 years old and above, 2-5% older men will be vulnerable to alcohol and substance abuse while the older women has a 1% chance of succumbing to alcohol and other substances.It is recommended by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that senior citizens aged 65 and above should limit their drinking to 7 drinks a week, plus, it should be not greater than 3 drinks daily. But if the older adult has a condition, he or she may require drinking less or not drink at all.

Drug abuseThe elderly aging 65 and above are just 15 percent of the overall population here in the United States. But this 15 percent is accountable for a huge percentage of consumers of pharmaceutical drugs.Drug abuse in the elderly is not synonymous to smoking weed, being high and everything that falls into that category. Instead, they consume too many medications. This is also because of their deteriorating mental processes. This results in forgetting that they have already taken their medication thus making them take more than they should.

That is the reason why Prestige Health Care Services, Inc. recommends the elderly, especially those who are living alone and do not want to move in to nursing homes, to have a primary caregiver who can look after them when their family is preoccupied with other responsibilities.